Travis Kelce turned his own college football struggles into mental health support(Getty Images)
9, 2022, Kelce announced that his Eighty-Seven & Running Foundation would establish a Health and Wellness Endowment for Cincinnati student-athletes. The initiative aimed to give approximately 450 athletes access to sports psychology and counselling services, addressing a side of college athletics that often receives less attention than performance on the field. Kelce played for the Cincinnati Bearcats from 2009 to 2012 before entering the NFL.
“During my time at UC I developed a solid infrastructure of people around to help me navigate through daily life as a student-athlete,” Kelce said in the announcement. “Travis is a tremendous ambassador for the University of Cincinnati and we are grateful for his continued support for our athletes and our athletic department,” Cunningham said. On Nov. His final college season included eight touchdowns, but his experience also taught him how difficult it can be to balance football with academic responsibilities. For a college athlete, mental health support can help address the demands of competition, academic deadlines and life outside sports. Kelce’s initiative recognised that athletes need support beyond training sessions and game-day preparation. Kelce’s contribution to Cincinnati brought that mission into college athletics. Instead of focusing on one team or a short-term program, the endowment aimed to provide lasting support for student-athletes. Kelce’s NFL career has made him one of the league’s leading tight ends, but his college experience helped shape a different part of his legacy. Through Eighty-Seven & Running, he turned a challenge he remembered into an effort to help other athletes.